Apparatus for gaseous fuel



1,512,487 Oct. 2L R924. A SAUER APPARATUS FOR GASEOUS FUEL Filed Nov. 16, 1920 Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES ADELBEBT SAUER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR GASEOUS FUEL.

Application filed November 16, 1920. Serial K0. 424,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ADELBERT SAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Gaseous Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of producing a fixed gas which may be stored in suitable receptacles, such as the usual stationary tanks employed in storing gas in large quantitles for use at any time in lighting and heating, or which may be stored in similar receptacles for transportaton from the place of production to any desired place of use.

My invention comprises a process and apparatus for the production of such a gas from liquid fuels, and has among 1ts objects the production of such a gas from such liquid fuels as the light and heavy hydrocarbon oils, including benzine, gasoline, kerosene, and the heavier oils of this series of hydrocarbons.

Among other objects of my invention, the same contemplates a process of comparatively few and simple steps and a preferred form of apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction.

Other objects of the invention will appear from. a detailed description thereof and one illustrative embodiment of an apparatus included therein, and constituting oneof the means whereb the process of my invention may be carrie out.

It is to be understood, however, that the v apparatus hereinafter described is merely illustrative of my invention as to the apparatus, the same bein capable of embodiment in man different orms of apparatus, and

as to t e method of being carried out by other apparatus than that described.

In my process and by the apparatus hereinafter described, the liquid fuel is finely atomized b a fluid under pressure, and preferably in a highly heated condition, so that the liquid fuel is not only atomized, but is partially or wholly vaporized. The mixed wholly or partially vaporized fuel and the fluid atomizin and vaporizing agent are thereafter sub]ected to a further and high degree of heat, which transforms the fuel vapor into a gas. Preferably, also, the fluid atomizing and vaporizing agent is one which itself may form an element of the resulting combustible, gaseous product.

'In the drawings showing the illustrative I apparatus, the single figure is a central, vertical section of the entire apparatus.

In the illustrative apparatus, the liquid fuel atomizer and vaporizer comprises 9. casmg made in three sections,-a tubular body member 1 enclosing a mixing and delivery chamber 2, a rear body member 3 functionmg as a liquid fuel supply member, as will later be more fully shown, and an intermediate coniform shell a functioning as an injector for the fluid atomizing agent.

The rear portion of the member 1 is outwardl tapered in cone form to receive the coniform shell 4, but upon a greater degree of taper than'the taper of the shell 4, the two members thus forming between them a comparatively narrow, intervenin annular chamber 5 and narrowing in widt towards the front and providing a relatively narrow, annular em1ssion slot 6 from the chamber referred to between the forward end of the shell 4 and the adjacent tapered face of the member I.

The shell 4 is fitted against and secured to the rear end of the bod member 1 by a flange 7 on the shell coacting with a flange 8 on the adjacent end of the member 1, while a flange 9 on the front end of the rear body member 3 coacts with the flange 'l' on the shell 4, the three members thus being attached to form the body of the atomizer as a whole.

The front portion of the coniform shell d is divided by an annularly arranged series of closely adjacent, angularly arranged slots 10 to provide a steam mjector extending backwardly part way of the length of the shell, and the slots are also preferably cut through the shell tangentially to the axis of the shell, which axis is also coincident with the longitudinal axis of the three chambers of the apparatus formed in the interior of the body members 1 and 3 and the shell itself.

An annular chamber 11 is cored into the walls of the body member 1 from the rear tapered end and hence communicates with the annular chamber 5 formed between the tapered end and the coniform shell 4. A pipe 12 for the atomizing fluid communicates with the annular chamber 11.

Steam is referably used as the atomizing agent and t e liquid fuel is not only atom- Ill through a side wa ized thereby, but is forcibly entrained through the mixing and delivery chamber 2 and into the heater later to be described where the mixture undergoes the final transformation into a gas.

The steam supplied to the pipe 12 enters the annular chamber 11 from which it passes backwardly under-its own pressure into the annular chamber 5 of the coniform injector 4 and from thenceforwardly from the slots 10 and the narrow annular opening 6 into the mixing chamber 2. The steam is emitted through the slots 10 at high speed and in an annular series of streams, each inan oblique direction forwardly and inwardly of the surrounding walls of the mixing chamber, but tangentially to the axis of that chamber and to the axis of the coniform shell or injector 4. By reason of the arrangement of the slots, therefore, the injected steam is caused to assume a forward rotating and swirling motion in the form of a vortex, and consequently with an area of reduced pressure at the axis of the vortex, which area of reduced pressure is utilized to entrain the liquid fuel.

An attachment 13 of sleeve-like form having a screw-threaded nipple is inserted in a correspondingly screw-threaded tap in the rear end wall of the body member 3, as shown. Said attachment has a central bore for the reception of a liquid fuel injector or nozzle 14 extending centrally and axially of the chamber in the body member 3 and with its forward end adjacent the rear end of the slots 10 in the coniform shell 4 and in the longitudinal axis of that shell.

The attachmentl3 has an enlarged chamber 15 to the rear of the pipe 14, which chamber is interiorly screw-threaded for the reception of a needle valve 16 correspondingly screw-threaded at an intermediate part of its stem, the stem extendin rearwardly of the attachment 13 and having mounted thereon -a handle 17 for the purpose of adjusting the needle valve relative to its seat at the juncture of the rear end of the pipe 14 and the forward end of the chamber 15.

A packing may be inserted in the chamber 15 to the rear of its interiorly screwthreaded portion and a nut 18 is screwthreaded upon the exterior cylindrical surface of the attachment 13 to hold the packing in place.

A liquid fuel supply pipe 19 is inserted l of the attachment 13 and delivers into the enlarged chamber 15 therein, from whence the liquid fuel is delivered past the needle valve 16 into the pipe or nozzle 14, the liquid fuel being supplied through the pipe 19 under sufficient pressure to deliver the same into the pipe or nozzle 14. g 7

When steam is admitted to the pipe 12,

it passes under its. own expansive force, as stated, from the annular chamber 11 into the annular chamber 5, and from thence througlrthe series of slots 10 tangentially to the axis of the chamber 2, the shell 4, and the pipe or nozzle 14, in a rotating, swirl ing and forward movement in the form of a vortex, creating a strong suction which entrains the liquid fuel from the nozzle 14, the liquid fuel after such delivering through the axis of the vortex, partaking of the rotating, swirling and forward movement and coming into further contact with the steam emitted from the narrow annular passage 6 in a direction oblique to the axis of the mixing chamber 2. The rotary, swirling movement of the mixed liquid fuel and steam and the impingement into the mass of steam from the annular passage 6, thoroughly atomizes and breaks up the liquid fuel into extremely fine particles, and the heat of the atomizing and entra ning agent, the steam,

tends to vaporize the fine particles of the introduced. This heating medium is preferably superheated steam introduced into the interior of the casing 22 through a pipe 23.

The superheated steam comes into intimate contact with the exterior surface of the ascending and descending coil 21 and highly heats the mixture of steam and vaporized fuel therein.

An overflow pipe or conduit 24 is inserted in the mixing and delivery chamber 2 to remove from that chamber any water condensed from the steam and any of the heavier portions of the liquid fuel not sufliciently finely atomized and vaporized to be carried in the forward movement of the mixture out of the chamber 2. The mixture entering the coiled pipe 21 in the heating chamber, therefore, contains only the finely atomized or vaporized particles of liquid fuel.

If desired, superheated steam may be used for the entraining, atomizing and vaporizing agent, and to provide for such use, in the illustrative apparatus, a conduit 25 is shown delivering superheated steam from the casing 22 to the steam supply pipe 12, the quantity ofsuperheated steam being controlled, if desired, by a suitable valve, such as the valve 26', in the superheated steam conduit 25.,

The ascending and descend ng coils 21 in the casin 22 provide for an extended exposure o the mixture within the coils for the transmission of heat from the superheated steam surrounding such coils and, moreover, maintains the steam Within the coils and intimately mixed with the vaporized fuel therein in a superheated condition so that the vaporized fuel is subjected to a high de ree of heat both from without and within t e coils, the result being a transforinatlion of the vaporized fuel into a gaseous The quantity of steam used in entraining, atomizing and vaporizing the liquid fuel before delivery to the 0011 21, is carefully proportioned relative t q the quantity of liquid fuel used so that the steam thus used does not constitute so substantial aproportion of the final product as to interfere with the combustion of the gaseous fuel.

A conduit 27 emerging from the lower end of the coil 21 and extending through the casing 22 to the outside thereof, delivers the final product to the place of use. When the product is used immediately upon its delivery from the coil 21,--for example, by injection into a combustion chamber,the superheated steam mixed therewith constitutes an important element taking part in the combustion, the steam due to the heat of combustion of the gaseous fuel becoming dissociated into its primary elements of hydrogen and oxygen, the hydrogen constituting an additional combustible ingredient and the oxygen, a supporter of combustion in addition to the air or other supporter of combustion used in the usual manner for the combustion of the gaseous fuel.

Where the product is stored in suitable containers for subsequent use, the small uantity of steam present becomes condensed and is deposited by gravlty upon the bottom of the container and may be withdrawn therefrom if desired By the process and the apparatus herein described, it is to be observed that not only is the liquid fuel finely atomized and vaporized by the fluid agent used, but that it is so forcibly injected into the heating coil 21 by that fluid agent that the fuel and the fluid agent remain in intimate contact throughout the entire length of the coil so that there is no opportunity for stratification or separation of the various ingredients of the mixture, the result being a uniform transformation of the fuel into a gaseous fuel throughout the entire MISS.

While I have described my rocess and a preferred apparatus for carrying out that process, it is to be understood that my invention is. not to be limited to the particular details given, the invention as-.to the method being capable of performance by other apparatus and the invention as to the apparatus being capable of various embodiments in addition to that illustrated.

Having particularly described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure b Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for the production of a gaseous fuel, a casin for superheated steam containing a coil or gaseous fuel, a

fuel mixing chamber connected with one 4 end of said conduit, a coniform superheated steam injector at the entrance to the mixing chamber, and a fuel injector inside the .forward with a whirling motion as it issues from the slots.

3. An apparatus for the production of a gaseous fuel, a casing for superheated steam, a coiled conduit having ascending and descending coils in said casing, an outlet conduit for said descending coil, and an inlet conduit for said ascending coil, a mixing chamber, a fuel supply member, a coniform shell between them havirig' angularly arranged slots for steam injection, a fuel nozzle in the fuel su ply member extending into the shell, and a steam supply leading to the slots in the shell.

4. In an apparatus for the production of a gaseous fuel, a casing for superheated steam, a coil therein for fuel gases having one end connected to a passageway, a coniform shell at the other end of the passageway, angularly arranged slots at the end of the shell, an annular steam chamber around the shell for delivering steam to the slots, and a fuel injector extending inside the shell.

5. In an apparatus for the production of a gaseous fuel, a casing for superheated steam, a coiled conduit havin ascending and descending coils in said casing, an outlet conduit for said descending coil, an inlet conduit for said ascending coil, and a li uid fuel atomizer communicating with said inlet conduit. v

6. In an apparatus for the production 0 a gaseous fuel, a casing for superheated steam, a coiled conduit havin ascending and descending coils in said casing, an outlet conduit for said descending c011 and an inlet conduit for said ascending coil, a mixing chamber communicating with said nlet conduit, a liquid fuel nozzle extending therein, an annular chamber adjacent said liquid fuel' nozzle and a conduit from said casing adapted to deliver superheated steam to said annular chamber.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of November, 1920.

ADELBERT SAUER. 

